PATRICK H. MELL PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS 1902-1909 SERIES 18 Extent: 2 cu. ft. Inclusive dates: 1903-1909 Bulk dates: 1907-1909 Provenance: Office of the President Access: Unrestricted Processing: Maria Skilton and Mark Schnetzka, student assistants. Biographical note: Patrick Hues Mell was born 24 May 1850 at Penfield, Georgia, the son of Patrick Hues and Lurene Howard Cooper Mell. After graduating from the University of Georgia in 1871 Mell served as chemist for the state of Georgia. From 1878-1883 Mell served as professor of natural history (later professor of geology and botany) at the Alabama Polytechnical Institute at Auburn, Alabama, and in 1884 he became head of the state weather service of Alabama, where he devised a system of flags designed to signal coming changes in the weather. In both capacities Mell published numerous scientific writings, among them, “Auriferous Slate Deposits of Southern Regions,” 1881; Grasses of Alabama, 1889; and Biological Laboratory Methods, 1902. In 1902 Mell accepted the presidency of Clemson College, succeeding M. B. Hardin. Mell’s accomplishments included a faculty reorganization, in which a hierarchy of positions and salaries reduced employee dissatisfaction and resignations, and a separation of the agricultural experiment station from the teaching component of the college in which sufficient time was allowed for professors to teach, researchers to conduct experimental research, and administrators to seek qualified applicants for all positions. A number of difficulties with the Board of Trustees over cadet discipline, especially the Pendleton Guards episode, however, brought Mell into conflict with the Board of Trustees, and on 1 January 1910, Mell resigned his post. After leaving Clemson Mell moved to Atlanta where he served as treasurer of the board of missions of the Southern Baptist Convention. Mell died 12 October 1918. He was married to the former Annie R. White of Athens, Georgia. For a biographical sketch of P. H. Mell see Donald McKale, ed., Tradition, a History of the Presidency of Clemson University. Description: This series contains the files of Patrick Hues Mell, President of Clemson College, 1902-1909. Within the files are Mell’s correspondence, annual reports of the college, reports of departments within the college, budget summaries, minutes of committees (for example, the Discipline Committee), requests for raises from faculty members, resignations of various faculty and staff members, rosters of graduates, newspaper clippings, and biographical materials. 1 PATRICK H. MELL PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS 1902-1909 SERIES 18 The files document the history of Clemson College in the early Twentieth Century. Topics included in the letters concern conditions at the college; a 1904 listing of buildings and their values; the procurement of funds to build a YMCA building; Clemson’s accreditation and efforts to obtain funds from the Carnegie Foundation; cadet discipline; the Pendleton Guards episode in 1908 that resulted in the dismissal of 306 cadets; the cancellation of the contract of Coach Francis Shaughnessy; the resignation of Joseph C. Minus, Commandant; and Mell’s relations with members of the Board of Trustees, for example, Benjamin Tillman, John E. Wannamaker, and Alan Johnstone. Other correspondents include coach and engineering professor Walter M. Riggs, attorney Richard W. Simpson, Congressman Frank Lever, college surgeon Alexander M. Redfern, and Benjamin Sloan, President of the University of South Carolina. The series is arranged chronologically. Most of the files have been photocopied onto acid free bond for preservation. For a listing of folders see the “Container list” that follows this description. Subject headings (LC twelfth edition) Clemson University-- Academic regulations Clemson University-- Administration Clemson University-- Board of Trustees Clemson University-- Buildings Clemson University-- Fertilizer Division Clemson University-- History Clemson University-- Military Department Clemson University-- Office of the President Clemson University-- Presidents Clemson University-- Student disorder Clemson University-- Student life Mell, Patrick Hues, 1850-1918 Norris, D. K., 1850-1918 Tariff on fertilizers Added entries Ansell, Martin Frederick, 1850-1945 Association of American Agricultural Colleges Clemson Law Club Lever, Asbury Francis 1875-1940 Minus, Joseph C. Oconee Telephone Company Redfern, Alexander M. 1862-1923 2 PATRICK H. MELL PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS 1902-1909 SERIES 18 Riggs, Walter Merritt 1873-1924 Shaughnessy, Francis J. Simpson, Richard W. 1844-1893 Sloan, Benjamin Tillman, Benjamin 1847-1919 Wannamaker, John Edward 1851-1935 Container List Folder Title 1 1902-1903, January-July 2 1903, August-October 3 1903, November-December 4 1904, January 5 1904, February-March 6 1904, April 7 1904, May 2-16 8 1904, May 17-31 9 1904, June 10 1904, July 11 1904, August 12 1904, September 13 1904, October-November 14 1904, December 15 1905, January 16 1905, February-March 17 1905, April 18 1905, May 19 1905, June 20 1905, July 21 1905, August 22 1905, September 23 1905, October 24 1905, November 25 1905, December 26 1906, January 27 1906, February 28 1906, March 1-15 3 PATRICK H. MELL PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS 1902-1909 SERIES 18 29 1906, March 16-31 30 1906, April 31 1906, May 32 1906, June 33 1906, July 34 1906, August 35 1906, September 36 1906, October 1-15 37 1906, October 16-31 38 1906, November 39 1906, December 40 1906, Collected Materials 41 1907, January 42 1907, February 43 1907, March 44 1907, April 45 1907, May 1-15 46 1907, May 16-31 47 1907, June 48 1907, July 1-15 49 1907, July 16-31 50 1907, August 51 1907, August Board Minutes 52 1907, September 53 1907, Sept. Board Minutes 54 1907, October 1-15 55 1907, October 18-31 56 1907, November 2-15 57 1907, November 16-30 58 1907, December 59 1908, January 60 1908, February 1-13 61 1908, February 14-28 62 1908, March 63 1908, April 64 1908, May 65 1908, June 66 1908, July-August 67 1908, September-December 4 PATRICK H. MELL PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS 1902-1909 SERIES 18 68 1909, January 69 1909, February-March 70 1909, April 71 1909, May 72 1909, June 73 1909, July-August 74 1909, September 75 1909, October 1-12 76 1909, October 13-31 77 1909, November 78 1909, December 1-11 79 1909, December 13-30 80 Newspaper articles, 1909-1910 [concerns Mell’s resignation] 81 Biographical Material and Writings 82 Cadet Discharges, 1905-1907 83 Undated 5 PATRICK H. MELL PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS 1902-1909 SERIES 18 The following notes, compiled by student assistants as they arranged and described the Mell papers, are not intended to document every item within a folder; they are intended to provide a folder by folder guide to frequently discussed topics and correspondents. Folder Contents 1 Certificates (W. F. Johnson), Henry E. Alvord (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, USDA), pedigree of cattle, fertilizer sales, cadet discipline, reports from Edgar A. Sirmeyer (Military Dept.), extract from Dr. Mell’s report to the board (March 1903), P. T. Brodie (mathematics department), B. R. Tillman (hereinafter cited as BRT). 2 Hon. Wyatt Aiken, mail carriers, issue of ordinance stores to colleges, BRT, Adjutant General concerning number of hours spent on military training, bonds, Oconee Telephone Company. 3 BRT, Alvord, convention of Association of American Agricultural Colleges and Experimental Stations, bond, invitations, A. C. True (USDA), BRT, new Agriculture building, E. W. Allen (USDA) cards, Walter M. Riggs. 4 Value of buildings at Clemson (1904), list of calls and formal inspection of barracks of students, president notes on military duty hours, resolution of Trustees on discipline and control, H. C. White (Amendment to mining bill), J. E. Wannamaker, Hon. T. H. Rainsford (bill relating to the establishment of experimental stations in SC), resolution by SC Experimental Station, Hon. J. E. Tindal. 5 Tindal, Allen, J. R. Zachary (Office of Board of County Commissioners), letters concerning the roads running through Clemson, BRT, President of Wofford College (Association of Colleges of South Carolina), War Department, BRT, R. W. Simpson Attorney. 6 PATRICK H. MELL PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS 1902-1909 SERIES 18 6 Alvord, BRT, general orders-War Department, L. A. Sease (Board), special orders - headquarters Atlantic Division, Oconee Telephone Company, True (USDA). 7 Capt. C. L. Beckurts (report of inspection of Military Department), Annual report of the president to the Board of Trustees, BRT, Tindal, Mary H. Ames (accepting librarian of Clemson), Wannamaker, E. R. Hills (Assistant Adjutant General), Col. R. W. Simpson, Sease, A. M Redfern (college physician), War Department circular, T. G. Poats (physics). 8 W. J. Spillman (USDA), Mell’s reply to Beckurt’s report, Geo. L. Wilson (Magistrate, Oconee County) special orders War Department, Sease, N. N. Keyser. 9 Henry Metcalf, BRT, Wannamaker, M. E. Zeigler (House of Representatives), Simpson, A. T. Smythe (Experiment Station committee). 10 Zackary, Sease, John Sharp Williams, Aiken, J. L. Snyder (Agricultural College-Michigan), M. L. Donaldson (Board), R. W. Simpson, G. A. Parker (American Civic Association). 11 BRT, Tindal, Smythe, True (USDA), Benjamin Sloan (President of USC about centennial of the university, Wannamaker, Parker, built or planned roads. 12 List of professors who have resigned, A. W. McSwain, list of Clemson Graduates filling prominent positions, Smythe, Snyder, BRT, Wannamaker, Aiken, Simpson. 13 Simpson, Tindal, A. F. Lever, BRT, Redfern, John G. Richards, Jr. 14, 15 Sease, BRT, Simpson, Wannamaker, Smythe, W. W. Allen (office of Experimental Stations), letter to Tillman describing conditions at the college, Spillman, Donaldson. 7 PATRICK H. MELL PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS 1902-1909 SERIES 18 16, 17 Smythe, Wannamaker, letters to the parents of cadets dismissed from Clemson for discipline reasons, Spillman, BRT, reorganization of the Agricultural Department, Internal Revenue form 431A. 18, 19 Seth Thomas Clock Company (clock in the tower of Tillman Hall), IRS proof as to the use of alcohol for scientific purposes, Charles S. Dogget (application for Textile Department position), resignation of Haven Metcalf, resignation of S.